FIG. 1 discloses a torque converter 10 including a damper assembly 12 fixed to a turbine 14. Damper assembly 12 includes two cover plates 16, 18, with the turbine-side cover plate 16 being riveted to turbine 14 by a plurality of circumferentially spaced rivets 20. Rivets 20 are positioned radially outside of a bearing 22 and radially inside of an inner set of springs 26. Bearing 22 is sandwiched axially between turbine 14 and a stator 26 of torque converter 10. A damper flange 28 positioned axially between cover plates 16, 18 is provided with a plurality of access holes 30 circumferentially and radially aligned with rivets 20 for allowing a rivet tool to access cover plate 16 during the formation of rivets 20.
FIG. 2 discloses a plan view of drive flange 28. Drive flange 28 includes a radial innermost surface 32 and a radial outermost surface 34. Between surfaces 32, 34, drive flange 28 further includes circumferentially extending slots 36 for receiving springs 26. Holes 30 are radially aligned with inner radial edges 38 of slots 36, with each hole 30 being circumferentially between two slots 36. Due to the close proximity of holes 32 and slots 36, drive flange 28 has a limited amount of material 39 in the regions between holes 32 and slots 36, raising the stress on drive flange 28, which may force drive flange 28 to be modified during design to reduce one or both of the radial width and the circumferential length of slots 36 and result in smaller springs being used.
U.S. Pub. 2015/0219196 discloses a similar arrangement.